Free in Between
by KinkyCat
Summary: School AU. Reborn had been watching Tsuna from afar for a while before he decided to approach him with the hope that maybe, just maybe, he'd find more than just a usual one-night stand. R27: very loosely inspired by Free!


I know I said that the next thing I published wouldn't be smut, but guess what this is? Smut.

I'll publish the non-smut ideas when I have the time to, but for now, enjoy.

**Warnings:** R27, graphic sex, etc etc etc. Also a warning for a shitty ending. I don't do endings well.

* * *

There was something particularly enthralling about watching Tsuna swim in the pool.

Reborn could stare at his body for hours, watching the muscles twist and curve beneath the sun-kissed skin. A single kick would send ripples of movements through the sinewy legs; a stroke of his arms would propel him forward, jetting through the cold blue currents. But perhaps the most picturesque moment was when Tsuna's head broke through the surface of the water, droplets spraying from his form in a fine, glittering mist. Reborn could see in his mind's eye the way the water clung to Tsuna's hair and slicked it down, and the way that the water ghosted down Tsuna's body in rivulets, from his head to shoulders to thighs. It was, in a word, mesmerizing, and Reborn couldn't think of a being more beautiful and perfect.

He had been coming to watch Tsuna's practices for nearly a month now. At first, he had come to merely observe, to try to see what exactly about Tsuna made him so popular with his peers. It seemed odd that someone who looked so gentle, so fragile, could earn the respect of even the most ruthless of his classmates, and Reborn had been determined to know why. Even he, the dubbed prince of his former school, hadn't garnered so many friends.

Over the last month he had come to learn that Tsuna was inexplicably kind. According to the rumors, Tsuna hailed from a rich family—_the _Sawada's, the name that ruled the multi-million dollar business called the Vongola. Tsuna had allegedly persuaded his father to donate a significant sum of money to orphanages and charities, and had apparently saved the lives of more than one person along the way. Said people acted as his self-proclaimed friends-turned-bodyguards now, and Tsuna was rarely seen without at least one of them within earshot.

Even now they were in the pool with Tsuna, every so often glancing around to scan for possible threats. Reborn knew that they recognized him by now—how could they not? He was always there at every practice, the signature fedora atop his head. It wasn't as though he was inconspicuous, nor had he made an effort to remain hidden.

He knew that many of them didn't approve of his presence. Take Gokudera, for example: the first time Gokudera had realized that Reborn was avidly watching his savior, he had screamed obscenities on the top of his lungs for nearly an hour. It had taken the rest of the bodyguards to forcibly haul him away, Tsuna apologizing profusely for his friend's intolerable behavior. Reborn had just shrugged him off then: if Gokudera accosted him without due reason, then he could be sent to jail, Vongola or not. Plus, Reborn knew how to fight, well enough to take down Fong, who had dominated the world championships in karate the last four years. He was also handy with a gun, a fact that he hadn't bothered to hide.

Reborn knew that if he wanted to get Tsuna alone, he'd be walking a very fine line. At the same time, he knew that Tsuna thought that he owed Reborn something, and that Tsuna had enough influence over his guards to leave them alone if he just asked.

So Reborn wasn't surprised when Tsuna dismissed himself from practice early that day and headed to the locker room, assigning his bodyguards to help coach the rest of the team while he was gone. "I'll be fine," he said when Gokudera protested vehemently. "Really—I just need to use the restroom, alright?"

Gokudera clamped his mouth shut and nodded, albeit slowly.

Reborn stood up, stretching his legs. Ignoring Gokudera's suspicious stare, he left, circling out to the front of the campus first before reentering where the "guards" couldn't see him from the pool.

Tsuna was waiting in the locker room when he arrived, still clad in his form-fitting swim trunks. "I'm here, as promised." He waved the note Reborn had slipped him a few hours before in the air. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

Reborn tilted his lips up into a grin. He knew that Tsuna was not an idiot, and that the brunet either knew what Reborn had called him for or at least suspected it somewhere in the recesses of his mind. He could see it in the way Tsuna flicked his eyes over his body not-so-subtly, and in the way Tsuna watched him with a nervousness reminiscent of those in the gazes of those forlorn teens watching their loves from afar, unable to work up the courage to say the three words that may—or may not—change everything.

So he ambled forward with an easy grace, thoroughly pleased with the situation. Tsuna stood there, arms crossed over his bare, glistening chest, watching him with a sort of guileless simplicity that was nearly impossible to find these days. Reborn suppressed a small huff of laughter and blew a stray strand of hair away from his face—just how pure could that innocence remain?

"Reborn? Is something wrong?" Tsuna blinked at him owlishly.

In response, Reborn snapped his hand forward to catch the curve of Tsuna's chin in his grip.

Tsuna exhaled sharply when Reborn pressed his lips firmly against the smaller mouth, who was at first content to simply bask in their proximity and the fact that Tsuna's slim form melded perfectly into his. He twisted a hand in Tsuna's hair, his other hand guiding Tsuna's chin upward to deepen the kiss, and a satisfied grin stretched his mouth as Tsuna obediently followed. Reborn drew his lips down to tease at Tsuna's lower lips, suckling and biting, and Tsuna keened somewhere in the back of his throat and pushed himself needily into his chest, grinding his hips.

Pleasure jackknifed through his groin and up his spine, and Reborn smothered a heated gasp. To cover his near-blunder Reborn quickly passed his tongue over Tsuna's lips once, twice, and pushed it in. For a moment their tongues met and danced in a brief, wet struggle, and then Reborn deftly worked his way past and curved his tongue around in a probing exploration of the younger boy's mouth.

When he ran out of available air, Reborn pulled away to survey his work. Tsuna was flushed and breathing hard, eyes glazed over in unmistakable desire. Humming lightly, Reborn leaned down to press a kiss against Tsuna's damp forehead.

"Do you want this?" Reborn slipped one hand down to cup Tsuna's cock and gave it a quick squeeze.

Tsuna simply looked at him and moaned.

It took a surprisingly low amount of convincing to persuade Tsuna to follow him out of the locker room, despite the throbbing erection conspicuously tenting the front of his swim trunks—apparently the thought of his friends walking in on them was so ghastly that Tsuna could work past the lust and reel himself in, just for another few minutes, while they relocated to a more private location. Luckily there was no one in the corridor. Only their footsteps echoed in the tiled hall, one steady and another stumbling, punctuated by Tsuna's rapid breaths. Reborn quickly steered Tsuna to the staff restroom on the second floor (of course, after checking that no one was inside) and locked the door quietly behind him.

He was turning around when strong arms wrapped around him in a firm but gentle embrace. Tsuna's weight forced him against the door until his back was pressed tightly to the wall, and then determined sorrel eyes filled his vision as Tsuna moved forward to smash his lips resolutely against his. The kiss was clumsy and desperate—their teeth clicked painfully once, but neither pulled back nor cared—but when Tsuna drew away to lick Reborn's mouth with his oddly innocent curiosity, Reborn could safely claim that for some reason, it was the best kiss he had received in his life.

He slipped an arm around Tsuna's small hips, dipping his fingers down the cleft of his ass to where he guessed Tsuna's entrance was. Tsuna's lips jerked, a small gasp of breath filling Reborn's mouth, and playfully Reborn returned the air, grinning in malicious satisfaction when Tsuna visibly shook.

With a sudden smirk, Reborn spun around and slammed Tsuna into the wall, forcing him to look Reborn in the eye.

"Tsuna," he all but cooed, and if Tsuna was surprised by the familiarity with which Reborn said his name he didn't show it. Instead he cried out in surprise when Reborn laid a hand on his chest to drag his fingers across the toned muscles in a light caress, and then in pleasure when Reborn leaned down to nip at his pale, exposed throat. Reborn lapped at the skin gently, kissed, and bit down, his breath hot against the reddening flesh, and, after a moment's pause, lifted a nimble hand to fondle the erect nipples protruding into empty air. Tsuna took it all and writhed, grinding painfully into Reborn's erection, sending waves of undulating pleasure emanating through his spine.

Almost absentmindedly Reborn stripped Tsuna of his swimming trunks, letting them drop to the ground in a sodden heap. He could see that Tsuna was close, painfully close. Tsuna's cock stood readily erect, the head already slick with pearlescent beads of precome.

Reborn shook off his own clothes, dropping first his tie, shirt, pants until he was stark naked, his fedora placed a respectable distance away from the inevitable mess they would make. The nearly reverent expression on Tsuna's face as he gazed, mesmerized, by Reborn's length made him want to snicker.

"Eager, aren't you?" At his words, Tsuna perked visibly, almost trembling with anticipation, and—stifling a laugh—Reborn signaled for him to wait—just a little longer as he moved to the cabinets lining the walls and produced a bottle of lube.

When he returned, Tsuna had crossed his arms over his chest, looking rather affronted. It was a strange sight, considering that Tsuna's cock was still a hard vivid red, and Reborn couldn't take the expression seriously.

"You had this all planned out," Tsuna said, tone accusatory, but there was no real heat in his words.

Reborn slicked his fingers unceremoniously, squeezing a generous amount of lube onto his palm to coat his pulsating cock. "Of course I did," he replied blandly. Before Tsuna could retort, he moved forward, dropping his hand around the curve of Tsuna's bare ass to push a single finger into his muscled entrance.

Tsuna jerked at the shock of penetration and, with a moan, dropped his head into the curve of Reborn's shoulder. Reborn's cock twitched in silent anticipation, bliss curling torturously in his groin.

He mercifully waited while Tsuna adjusted to the foreign feeling of something digging inside of him When Tsuna's body loosened slightly, he shifted his finger, bending and wriggling inside Tsuna's flesh before sheathing another digit to the knuckle. Tsuna barely seemed to register anything, mouth hanging open in a haze of pleasure and pain, even when Reborn slipped a third finger inside and scissored as gently as he could.

Reborn's grin broadened at Tsuna's low groan, at the way Tsuna's eyes sought him out immediately in trust and longing and—

Oh.

Tsuna was speaking, every syllable a visible effort. "What would you have done if I had refused your advances, then?"

"Let you go, of course," Reborn returned without missing a beat. "But, I knew that you wouldn't, so the point is moot."

"Did you?" The last word came out peculiar, and again, Tsuna's gaze flickered up to Reborn's and latched onto his with an imploring curiosity and, now that Reborn was actively searching for them, hope and anxiety.

He grinned deviously. "You _like_ me, don't you?"

Almost all at once Tsuna flushed and quickly looked away, eyes fixating on the anything but his eyes, but his ears, almost as if determined to betray Tsuna's emotions, burned red.

An unbidden laugh worked its way out, despite Reborn's best attempts to stifle it. "So it's true."

Tsuna spluttered incoherently, floundering for words. "I—it's not—"

"It's not?" Reborn queried.

"No, it's not, I don't know where you heard that from—"

"Didn't have to hear it from anywhere." Reborn smirked at Tsuna's bemused expression. "You're so easy to read, like an open book. It's like everything you feel is written clearly across your brow. For example, take this—" Teeth sharpening, he pulled his fingers out of Tsuna's ass.

An immediate whine of loss escaped Tsuna's throat before he had time to think and hastily suppress it, but the protest following Reborn pushing away from Tsuna until there was a few inches of air between their hot and sweaty bodies was clearly intentional.

"See?" Reborn quirked an eyebrow pointedly as Tsuna squirmed.

"That doesn't mean anything," Tsuna shot back. "I'm just—horny."

On the inside Reborn snickered at the hesitant pause before the last word, but on the outside he only grinned wider. "Does it not? Then tell me, Tsuna: why didn't you refuse me? Because you wanted to try out sex with a stalker, a stranger? Were you that desperate to get laid, though you're constantly surrounded by guards, who, if I may say, are good-looking as well? I'm sure Gokudera would be quick to take you up on the offer."

Tsuna looked appalled. "No! I mean—that doesn't mean I like you!"

"And yet here you are," Reborn drawled.

It was amusing to watch Tsuna flail around helplessly, making a frustrated _I-can't-win_ gesture with his hands. He really couldn't.

"Can't you just fuck me?" he tried at last, sweeping his hand over his stiff and painfully red cock. "We can talk our relationship out later, but please—"

Reborn seemed to consider the option for a moment—Tsuna's cock seemed to be begging for release, so much blood curled in the head that Reborn had to applaud Tsuna for being able to think straight—before he shook his head regretfully. "Sorry, Tsuna, but it's not that difficult. Three words: that's all you have to say. Say them, and I can bring you over the edge, anytime and anywhere. Say them, and I"ll be with you always, coming whenever you call. Say them—say the truth—and I'm yours."

"Fuck me please?" Tsuna attempted weakly.

"No, try again."

Tsuna paused, wavering between the pros and cons (though what cons there could possibly be to dating him Reborn didn't know), before he acquiesced, eyes dropping straight to the ground.

"I—" Tsuna started, studiously observing the muscles on Reborn's chest. Reborn leaned forward expectantly, causing the muscles to ripple, and Tsuna blushed furiously. "Reborn! You're not making this any easier."

"Say it," Reborn said quietly.

"It's easy for you to say, you're practically a stalker, but I'm—"

Reborn cut across him firmly. "Three words, it's not that hard."

Grumbling, Tsuna looked away in embarrassment but relented. "Fine," Tsuna groused. "—I l-love you. Happy?"

Smirking in approval, Reborn nodded. "Plenty."

Tsuna yelped in surprise when he fell inelegantly to the ground on his ass, courtesy of Reborn, and made a move to protest when he caught sight of the predatory glint in Reborn's eyes. Reborn gave him a reassuring smirk, or at least he attempted to form a reassuring smirk, but judging from the tumultuous nervousness he spotted in Tsuna's eyes, he didn't do 'reassuring' very well.

"It'll be fine," Reborn said instead. "Hey, Tsuna—look at me." And when Tsuna finally looked at him, eyes round and lusting and so damn trusting, Reborn's control fractured. With a quick check of their alignment, he pressed the head of his cock against Tsuna's entrance and roughly pushed it all the way in.

Reborn silenced Tsuna's instinctive scream with a long kiss and wrapped his arms gently around Tsuna's small frame. He moved his lips, offering some nonsensical comfort, as he waited for Tsuna to stop gasping and shivering from the penetration.

He started to move slowly at first, but when Tsuna's arms wrapped around his back and tightened, he picked up his pace until he was pounding away in a steady rhythm. Tsuna was so tight, so warm, and so damn hot; every thrust sent ecstasy cracking through him. He knew that Tsuna was experiencing a strange combination of pain and pleasure both, and judging from the way his mouth hung loosely open and eyes rolled into his head, Tsuna was enjoying it immensely.

"Fuck," he ground out as Tsuna raked his nails down his back, as if scrabbling for a handhold, and in retaliation he snapped his hips quickly, a few hard times in succession, watching in savage glee as Tsuna fell apart at the seams and cried out brokenly.

"Aangh," Tsuna sobbed, "Reborn, please, more, harder, faster, _right there_—"

Ah, he must have hit the prostrate.

Reborn obeyed, pounding quicker, aiming for the spot that Tsuna had begged for. He knew when he had hit it when Tsuna started babbling incoherently, pleading for more, more, more, even as he writhed and twisted on Reborn's hips. Reborn caught Tsuna's legs, pulling them apart farther to gain better access, and leaned in, pressing his hands on either side of Tsuna's head for support. Tsuna's fell to the ground limply, and out of impulse, Reborn grabbed onto one and intertwined their fingers, leaning down further to press their chests together.

Tsuna came in that position, white come splattering onto both their chests, and moments later Reborn followed with a grunt. His cock pulsed, then new warmth, sticky and wet, flooded Tsuna's ass. He thrusted idly a few more times as his cock slowly softened.

He pulled out carelessly, letting his flaccid cock slap against his thighs as he slid a finger over his stomach to taste Tsuna's come through narrowed eyes. Humming in contentment, Reborn leaned forward once more to lick the remainder off of Tsuna's chest, relishing the way Tsuna shuddered even through the mind-consuming haze of orgasm-induced exhaustion.

After a thorough cleaning, they sprawled on the ground side-by-side, the chilly tiles biting against their feverish skin.

Just as Reborn was contemplating how to break the silence, Tsuna spoke.

"Do you want to do it again sometime?"

"Already thinking about next time?" Reborn teased.

"Well, yeah," Tsuna said candidly, "because Gokudera and the others are probably scouring the school right now looking for me, and I'd rather have everything planned out—just in case."

Reborn laughed, but he didn't offer any suggestions. For now they could relax, side by side, as they listened to Gokudera and the others' footsteps thundering up and down the halls for their missing boss, unknowingly passing by them due to the handy women's restroom sign posted on the door.

They could put off the plans until another day, when they could talk alone, just the two of them in the world.


End file.
